Journal Ps 48 and 50 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
Mark this, then, you who forget God—lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! —the one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to the one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Ps 50:21-23
Observation: Ever wondered why God doesn’t intervene in things? Most times it is because Man thinks one way, and we think God should think in the same way…
Analysis: The above scripture could be titled “Humanizing God.” The key phrase? “…You thought I was one like yourself!”
How many times THROUGHOUT THE DAY do I think of God the way I think of myself? Hundreds of times in an hour— not a day, an HOUR.
The reason is that we are not built to consider things Eternally, Omnisciently. I am not reflexively looking at my life and the interactions with others with an Omniscient point of view — I am stuck on a clock, watching the seconds tick by.
That is not God. Before there was light, He saw everything, comprehended everything, knew everything—He does not have an “aw, shucks…missed that” moment. (Note: that is why the Cross was the ONLY Plan from the beginning. The Cross wasn’t Plan B to Eden’s Plan A. This understanding is IMPERATIVE for Christians.)
The Triune God is Eternally Omniscient.
Did it ever cross my mind that God was ok about something I did just because He was silent? The “no news is good news” theory about God?
What about grumbling, complaining, murmuring? In each one of these actions (either in the heart, in the house or car, or out loud in public), God may understand, but He does not condone. In fact, His anger is kindled: “And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled…” (Num 11:1, also see Grumbling, Ex 16:8; Num 14:27; I Cor 10:10; Phil 2:14, Murmuring Ps 106:25, and Complaining, Lam 3:39)
Besides repenting of this Sin, we are instructed to “Renew our minds, that we may PROVE what the Will of God is: That which is Good, Acceptable, and Perfect.” (Ro 12:1-2) I think about this: Prove that the Will of God is superior and objectively true over what I experience.
Did I ever think that no matter what is happening, the clear instruction from the Most High is, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; for this IS the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thes 5:16-18
Somebody is going to go down the road of, “Yeah, but …. what about [this] and [that] and [the other]? Am I going to give thanks to God for something that the devil obviously did?”
Candidly, I haven’t worked all that out yet, but there are some things that I have gleaned from the Scriptures:
- God is totally Supreme in all of Creation and Eternity. No creature is even close (including the angel Lucifer)
- The eternal conflict (if there is one) is not between the Triune God and Lucifer. That is Dualism and is a heresy.
- The seed of conflict originated in Heaven with wicked ambition on the part of Lucifer: “You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven…I will set my throne on high…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL MAKE MYSELF LIKE THE MOST HIGH.” (Is 14:13-14)
- The conflict that man is involved in and needs redemption from what originated in Eden: “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…” (Gen 3:4-5a) Note: Keep in mind that God knew this as well before “Let there be light.”
- Consider the first 3 chapters of Job: Lucifer has to PETITION God for the opportunity to cause mischief, troubles, and harm to Job. In that PETITION, Lucifer also is given permission to do harm to Job’s children.
So why did I write all of this? One reason is this stuff is important to get the Gospel straight, to think right about God…and the enemy.
I must remind myself daily of how Supreme and Sovereign in all the Universe is our God.
Prayer: Father, I so appreciate you popping out this Scripture verse to me today. I kind of knew this but not from a direct reference. Always good to have a foundational, objective source.
Love you, Father. Thank you for loving and caring for me.
AMEN